Bottrill clocks new record for A25/25 course

One week after his national 100-mile championship win, Matt Bottrill was in record-breaking form to secure a two-minute victory in North Notts Olympic RC’s Janet and Brian Woods 25-mile time trial.

Going into the event with no real expectations, Bottrill (www.drag2zero.com) powered round the A25/25 course at Carlton-on-Trent in a record 48-04.

“I surprised myself,” said Bottrill, who averaged more than 31mph for a winning margin of 2-19 over Adam Gascoigne (Team Pedal Power). “I’ve been tired all week and I really thought I would have nothing in my legs coming into the race.”

Runner-up to Bottrill in the 100, Andy Bason (Team Pedal Revolution) bounced back to clock the fastest time of the year for the distance with a winning 3-36-50 in the Eastern Counties CA event at Besthorpe.

Bason led a clean sweep of the top three places for his team on the four-lap Norfolk course, Nik Bowdler finishing second in 3-41-45 and Mark Arnold, 3-48-25, third.

Rain and spray put the event in doubt, but conditions improved sufficiently for it to be given the go-ahead although, as the wind dropped, the rain returned before the finish.

Atkins, who acknowledged his good fortune after later removing a flint from his back tyre which promptly deflated, finished clear of Peter Balls (West Suffolk Wheelers), 49-26, and Sam Barker (Planet X RT), 49-29, with Ken Platts (Cambridge CC) clocking 49-57 to become the first 60-year-old to break the 50-minute barrier.

West Country specialist David Kiddell (Cavalier CC) posted his fastest time in some years for the Podimore course as he won Yeovil CC’s 25 in 55-07, beating Tom Alliban (Revo Racing) by exactly a minute.